by It accounts for approximately 3% of all cancers in adults. There are several types of drugs available today that can help treat different stages of kidney cancer. These drugs work to slow or stop the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
Immunotherapy Drugs
Immunotherapy drugs work by boosting the body’s natural defenses to fight kidney cancer. These drugs are typically used for advanced RCC that has spread to other parts of the body. Some of the major immunotherapy drugs for kidney cancer include:
– Nivolumab (Opdivo): Kidney Cancer Drugs Nivolumab is a PD-1 inhibitor that works by blocking proteins made by tumor cells that help them evade detection by the immune system. It is approved for use in advanced RCC after prior anti-angiogenic therapy.
– Pembrolizumab (Keytruda): Like nivolumab, pembrolizumab is also a PD-1 inhibitor. It is FDA approved for advanced RCC that has worsened despite prior anti-angiogenic treatment.
– Avelumab (Bavencio): Avelumab is a PD-L1 inhibitor approved for advanced RCC following treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs. It works similarly to PD-1 inhibitors by enhancing the immune response against renal cancer cells.
– Ipilimumab (Yervoy): Ipilimumab is a CTLA-4 inhibitor that enhances the immune system’s anti-tumor response. It is used along with nivolumab as a first-line treatment for advanced RCC.
Targeted Therapy Drugs
These drugs specifically target vulnerabilities in kidney cancer cells, slowing their growth and spread. Some major targeted therapy drugs include:
– Sunitinib (Sutent): Sunitinib was one of the earliest targeted therapies approved for kidney cancer treatment. It blocks several tyrosine kinase receptors involved in tumor growth and development of new blood vessels.
– Pazopanib (Votrient): Like sunitinib, pazopanib also blocks vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR) to inhibit angiogenesis.
– Axitinib (Inlyta): An oral therapy approved as a second-line treatment for advanced RCC after failure of first-line sunitinib or sorafenib treatment. It selectively inhibits VEGFRs.
– Cabozantinib (Cabometyx): Cabozantinib targets MET, VEGFRs, and AXL pathways. It is approved for advanced kidney cancer after one prior anti-angiogenic therapy.
– Lenvatinib (Lenvima): Acts on VEGFRs, fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) and other pathways. Approved for advanced RCC in combination with everolimus.
mTOR Inhibitors
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein promotes cancer cell growth and division. Drugs that inhibit mTOR can help control renal cancer progression:
– Temsirolimus (Torisel): The first mTOR inhibitor approved for advanced RCC. It demonstrated enhanced survival compared to interferon-alpha treatment alone.
– Everolimus (Afinitor): An oral mTOR inhibitor tablet used as a second-line treatment for advanced RCC after anti-angiogenic therapy failure. Also approved with lenvatinib.
Combination Therapies
Using multiple drugs together has shown benefits for certain kidney cancer patients:
– Nivolumab + ipilimumab: The approved combination for previously untreated advanced or metastatic RCC demonstrated improved response rate and overall survival vs sunitinib alone in clinical trials.
– Lenvatinib + everolimus: As discussed before, this is an FDA approved first-line option for advanced RCC based on trials showing it prolonged progression-free survival.
– Pembrolizumab + axitinib: A combination under investigation that has exhibited encouraging response rates and duration in early trial data for advanced RCC.
Ongoing Research and Future Drugs
New targeted drugs and combination strategies are actively being explored thanks to ongoing research into the biology and genetics of renal cancers. Some drugs currently in development include:
– OSI-027: An AMPK inhibitor that may benefit patients resistant to mTOR inhibitors.
– Savolitinib: A MET inhibitor with potential utility in papillary RCC with MET abnormalities.
– Regorafenib: A multi-kinase inhibitor similar to sorafenib but with activity against additional pathways.
– CCR2/5 antibody: Blocking chemokine receptors can impact immune evasion and metastasis.
Conclusion
Major advances have been achieved in kidney cancer therapeutics over the past decade. Today’s options offer hope for effectively managing localized disease as well as prolonging survival in advanced stages. Continued research promises even more personalized and targeted treatments in the future.
*Note:
1.Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2.We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
